ACCIDENT IN THE SLAUGHTER HOUSE

Eva, Charles and Elsie Miles

Eva, Charles and Elsie MILES were three of five children born to Emily and George MILES of Folkestone. Their older brothers were John and Edward. Emily Ellen VILE married George Thomas MILES at the Folketone Parish Church on 23rd October 1898. Emily Ellen was the fourth of ten children born to Thomas VILE and Mary Ann HARRIS of Smeeth. At the time of her marriage she was twenty-six years old. She gave her address as 33 Bournemouth Road and she had been "in service". George was 32 years old and a widower. His occupation was that of butcher and he lived at 11 St John's Street. Emily and George were my great grandparents. Eva was my grandmother.

Emily Ellen's family have been fairly easy to trace back through several generations but about George I know very little other than the details of his death. George died as the result of a tragic accident on 26th August 1919.

FALL FROM A BEAM

An inquest was conducted at the Town Hall on Wednesday afternoon by the Borough Coroner, Mr G.W. HAINES, touching on the death of George Thomas MILES, aged 52, of 7, St John's Street Folkestone, head slaughterhouse man for the Messrs. PEPPER & Sons.

Mr. E. J. CHADWICK, the Coroner's Officer, stated that the body was identified in his presence by Mrs. Ellen MILES as that of her husband.

Mary Isabella Shaw CUTHBERT, house surgeon at the Royal Victoria Hospital said that the deceased was brought in on the 26th instant suffering from injuries to his thigh and forehead. He was conscious and was also suffering from shock. He died the same day at 5.15 from hemorrhage of the brain.

Mrs. Ellen MILES, of 7 St John's Street said that her husband had been working for Mr PEPPER for a number of years. On August 14th he had an accident and on that occasion he slipped down a flight of stairs and hurt his leg. Dr SEARLE attended and said that his back was hurt. Deceased first got up on Saturday but didn't go back to work. He returned to work on the following Monday. On the morning of Tuesday 26th instant, he was in the slaughterhouse and she heard him call out. She went round to the slaughterhouse and saw him lying on the floor on his right side. He appeared to be suffering from injuries to the forehead. She sent her little girl round for Mr. HOPKINS, assistant slaughterhouseman, who lived near bye (Sic). Her husband said he had fallen down and kept pointing from (sic) the roof.

Mr. HOPKINS of 11, St John's Street said he was assistant slaughterman ofr Messrs. PEPPER & Sons. He knew that MILES had had an accident on the 14th but he was not present at the time. On the morning in question Mr. MILES's little girl ran up to him and said "Oh, Mr. HOPKINS, daddy has fallen on the slaughterhouse floor." He ran round and saw deceased lying on the floorand his wife holding his head. He obtained an ambulance from the fire station and deceased was taken to the hospital. MILES had gone up to the roof to oil a wheel which was approached by a beam about 15 inches broad and it was from this beam he had fallen. He had attended to the wheel himself very often before. The beam was about 25 feet from the ground.

Herbert SCOTT, of 47 Dover Road, another assistant slaughterman employed by Messrs. PEPPER & Sons, stated that he saw deceased early on Tuesday morning and he was apparently alright then. He helped him (witness) to put the horse in the cart.

Mr. A. E. PEPPER expressed his deep regret at deceased's death. He wished to express his deepest sympathy with Mrs. MILES. Deceased had been an honest and faithful servant for twenty years. No complaint had been made about the beam whatever.

The Coroner returned a verdict of "Accidental Death".

Folkestone Herald 30th August 1919

I wonder which little girl, Eva or Elsie, was sent to find Mr HOPKINS? Can anyone shed any light on the family of George Thomas MILES? He would have been born circa 1867 and was married before his marriage to Emily Ellen. I believe, from family lore there was a child to this first marriage, possibly a daughter. George's father was also George Thomas MILES. He was deceased by the time of George and Emily's marriage in 1898.

Emily Ellen MILES nee VILE 1872-1953

Emily Ellen remarried later in life. She died on 15 July 1953 and is buried with George Thomas at Folkestone Cemetery. My grandmother, Eva BAILEY nee MILES died ten years later on 30 July 1963 and is buried with her parents.